Colombia

Los Ampex was a band from Bogota, Colombia. They were only together two years, from 1965 – 67. They formed when The Goldfingers broke up. They were one of the most popular bands of that era along with Los Yetis & The Young Beats . Los Ampex were: Oscar Lasprilla – vocals & guitar; Jaime Rodriguez – vocals & rhythm guitar, Yamel Uribe – vocals & bass; & Oscar Ceballos – drums. The group dissolved when Ceballos & Rodriguez grew disillusioned with the Bogata scene.

After the dissolution of Los Ampex, Oscar Lasprilla & Yamel Uribe teamed up with drummer Roberto Fiorilli, an Italian ex-pat living in Bogota, & singer / rhythm guitarist Fernando Córdoba who had both been in The Young Beats. They formed the band The Time Machine. The Time Machine was one of the forerunners in the Colombian progressive rock scene. They held court during their short existence at the famed disco La Bomba, where members of other bands would come to listen. They played covers of songs by Cream, The Yardbirds, Paul Butterfield, & The Electric Flag.

Los Ampex released four albums in their two year run. This is their second, & I believe, finest work.

 Los Ampex - Colección Infierno a GoGo, Studio 15 E-15-6, 1966.

decryption codes in comments 

Lado A –

Dime

Bulle Bulle

El Melenudo

I Feel Fine

Atlantic (instrumental)

Niña Bu

Lado B –

Por Qué

Gloria

Perro Lanudo

Hippy Shake

Fiesta en Laguna

She’s a Woman

The Time Machine only recorded an one EP, Blow Up, in 1967 for Disco 15. The title was taken from the film of the same name by Michelangelo Antonioni. It featured covers of “The Train Keep Rolling” by The Yardbirds, “Just Like a Woman” by Bob Dylan, “Fire” from Jimi Hendrix, & “Our Love is Driftin' by Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

  The Time Machine - Blow Up EP, Disco 15 LPT24-002, 1967.

Lado A –

Fire

Just like a Woman

Lado B –

Our Love is Driftin’

The Train Kept a Rolling

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In 1966, a certain go-go fever took over Medellín, Colombia. The name of the virus: Los Yetis. The city, one of the most conservative in Colombia, started to feel the shakes in its foundations as thousands of teenagers danced to the new sound, willing to distance themselves from the tango & bolero favored by their parents. To achieve this, what better than the go-go spirit embodied by a fury & abominable snowman?

Los Yetis represent a very special case within the 60s rock scene in Colombia: teenage pop idols associated with Nadaism (a Colombian intellectual movement from the late 50s instigated by author Gonzalo Arango Arias). They are the only commercially successful band based outside the capital city, Bogota. They have managed to remain in the musical mind of the nation.

Los Yetis began as a vocal trio in 1965. It was started by singer & guitarist Juan Nicolás Estela & the López brothers Juan Guillermo ‘Juancho’ López - vocals, tambourine, & harmonica & Ivan Dario – vocals & rhythm guitar. After only a few weeks, with a repertoire of only three songs, The Yetis were asked to perform with Mexican singer Enrique Guzman, one of their idols.

 
In February 66, they were invited by the record label Discos Fuentes, to appear on a compilation 14 Impactos! Juveniles (14 Youth Hits!) FLP 0322. They contributed their three songs: “Conocerte Mejor”; “Sabes Cuanto te Quiero”; & “En una Isla Maravillosa”. The album was so successful that Discos Fuentes proposes recording the bands first LP, simply called Los Yetis, released in June 1966. A strange thing about this album is that Los Yetis, being a vocal trio, the boys didn’t really have a band per se & needed a back-up band. Since they could only do the vocals, Disco Fuentes brought Los Ampex in from Bogota. They are responsible for playing the instruments here.

  Los Yetis – Los Yetis Vol. I, Disco Fuentes 200347, 1966.

Lado A –

Llegaron los Peluqeros (Get the Hairdressers by Gonzalo Arango)

El Surf del Perro

Mi Primer Juguete

Wooly Bully

Lado B –

Amor Sideral

La Bamba

Alcanzame si Puedes

Ametrallando

The trio realized that they needed to fill out the band with bass & drums. They hooked up with Norman Smith on bass & Hernan Pabón on drums. The only other change came about in 1968, a year before they broke up, when founding member Ivan López left & was replaced by José Ignacio Durán as rhythm guitarist.

With the new full band line-up, they released a string of albums: 1967s Colombia a Go-go Disco Fuentes ECO 686 & Los Yetis Vol. 2 Disco Fuentes LP 300374; 1968s Olvidate Disco Fuentes LP 200416 & this EP in 1969. With their new rhythm guitarist they released new versions of five of the songs from their first released, playing the songs that were played originally by Los Ampex.

Los Yetis – Los Yetis EP, Serie Especial J 006-20.075, 1969.

Lado A –

Llegaron los Peluqueros

Alcanzame si Puedes

Lado B –

Amor Sideral

Ametrallando

Los Yetis

In 2009, Munster Records released a twenty-one song collection of Los Yetis tunes on 2XLP & double CD. Munster Records is an independent Spanish label created in the 1980s. In the last decade its main focus has been reissues of punk, garage, rock, & other similar genres or subgenres. This compilation is the wildest moments from one of the best sixties garage-pop band from Colombia. Twenty-one Nadaist (revolutionary pre-punk movement) tracks about war, revolution, &, of course, girls. Both formats include previously unseen band photos and extensive notes.

 Los Yetis - ¡Nadaismo a Go-Go 2xLP, Munster Records MR 289, 2009.

Lado A –

El Tito / Mi Primer Juguete
Cantemos

Yo Grito
Revolucionando
Mr Shoemaker

Lado B –

Delirio
Llegó El Desorden
Ya No Te Aguanto Más
Pedimos La Paz
Love

Lado C –

Me Siento Loco
Mary Mary
Sabes Cuánto Te Quiero
No Me Digas Adiós
Te Espero En La Guerra

Lado D –

Llegaron Los Peluqueros
Flying High
Amor Sideral
La Tierra De Las Mil Danzas
Tres Grados Bajo Cero
Soy Un Hombre

Enjoy,
NØ